Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo
A 21st-century woman travels to 10th-century Goryeo.
Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo is a South Korean television series based on the Chinese novel Bu Bu Jing Xin by Tong Hua. It aired on SBS from August 29 to November 1, 2016, and recorded average nationwide viewership ratings of 7.6% (Nielsen Korea) and 7.3% (TNMS). The series received mixed reviews from critics and was considered a failure against its production budget.
Quick Facts
- Genre
- Historical fiction
- Romance
- Fantasy
- Melodrama
- Based on
- Bu Bu Jing Xin by Tong Hua
- Writer
- Cho Yoon-young
- Director
- Kim Kyu-tae
- Starring
- Lee Joon-gi
- Lee Ji-eun
- Kang Ha-neul
- Country
- South Korea
- Language
- Korean
- Episodes
- 20 + 2 specials
Facts from the source article.
Track listing
CD 1
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | For You (너를 위해) | Ji Hoon, Goo Ji-an, Rocoberry | 3:17 |
| 2 | Say Yes | Ji Hoon, Loco, Rocoberry | 3:40 |
| 3 | I Love You, I Remember You (사랑해 기억해) | Ji Hoon, Goo Ji-an, earattack, Obros | 4:08 |
| 4 | Forgetting You (그대를 잊는다는 건) | Ji Hoon, Goo Ji-an, Rocoberry, Conan, Loco | 3:13 |
| 5 | All With You | Ji Hoon, Goo Ji-an, Seo Jae-ha, Kim Young-sung | 3:55 |
| 6 | Can You Hear My Heart (내 마음 들리나요) | Tablo, Mithra Jin, Ji Hoon, Goo Ji-an, DJ Tukutz, Conan, Loco, Rocoberry | 4:09 |
| 7 | A Lot Like Love (사랑인 듯 아닌 듯) | Ji Hoon, Goo Ji-an, Rocoberry, Conan, Loco | 3:24 |
| 8 | I Confess (고백합니다) | Ji Hoon, Goo Ji-an, Hwang Chan-hee, PJ | 3:41 |
| 9 | Will Be Back (꼭 돌아오리) | Ji Hoon, Goo Ji-an, Rocoberry, Conan, Loco | 3:27 |
| 10 | My Love (내 사랑) | Ji Hoon, Goo Ji-an, Hwang Chan-hee, Lee Seung-joo, Lee Ra-eum | 3:42 |
| 11 | Wind (바람) | Ji Hoon, Goo Ji-an, Rocoberry, Conan, Loco | 3:39 |
| 12 | Be With You | Ji Hoon, Lee Chan-hyuk, Rocoberry | 3:08 |
| 13 | Goodbye (안녕) | Ji Hoon, Goo Ji-an, Ahn Young-min | 4:28 |
| Total length | 47:56 | ||
CD 2
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Prince | Heo Sang-eun | 2:03 |
| 2 | Agonal Howl | Choi Sung-kwon, Son Joo-kwang | 2:57 |
| 3 | Hae Soo | Heo Sang-eun, Park Yeong-ik | 2:07 |
| 4 | Wraith | Heo Sang-eun, Choi Sung-kwon | 2:31 |
| 5 | One for Me | Kim Ji-soo, Choi Sung-kwon | 2:42 |
| 6 | Wings of Goryeo | Kim Ji-soo | 4:33 |
| 7 | Appassionata | Bae Bo-ram, Heo Sang-eun | 2:12 |
| 8 | Vendetta | Park Young-ik | 1:54 |
| 9 | Be Your Love | Kim Ji-soo, Heo Sang-eun | 2:57 |
| 10 | Gesture of Resistance | Kim Ji-soo | 4:41 |
| 11 | Love of Hae Soo | Park Min-ji, Choi Sung-kwon | 3:01 |
| 12 | Pastoral Morning | Heo Sang-eun | 2:46 |
| 13 | Great Nebula | Park Joon-soo, Oh Young-sang | 4:04 |
| 14 | The Sorrow of a Prince | Park Min-ji, Choi Sung-kwon | 2:29 |
| 15 | Battle Bobo | Park Joon-soo, Kim Wi-yeon | 2:28 |
| Total length | 43:32 | ||
Track listing from the source article.
Cast
Lee Joon-gi portrays the 4th Prince Wang So, initially seen as cruel and aloof but later revealed to be hiding pain behind a cold front; Hong Dong-young plays the young Wang So. Lee Ji-eun appears as Go Ha-jin, a 21st-century woman who travels back in time to 10th-century Goryeo and becomes Hae Soo, an optimistic girl who cannot stand injustice and becomes the first to understand Wang So's pain. Kang Ha-neul plays the 8th Prince Wang Wook, a kind man who cares deeply for others and becomes a rival to Wang So for both love and the throne. Kim San-ho is Crown Prince Wang Mu, the oldest prince. Hong Jong-hyun plays the 3rd Prince Wang Yo, the clever and ambitious older brother of Wang So. Yoon Sun-woo portrays the 9th Prince Wang Won, a conceited and narcissistic royal. Byun Baek-hyun plays the 10th Prince Wang Eun, a mischievous and playful royal who becomes Hae Soo's first friend in Goryeo. Nam Joo-hyuk appears as the 13th Prince Wang Baek-ah, a romantic playboy with a love for music and arts. Ji Soo plays the 14th Prince Wang Jung, the youngest prince who has a crush on Hae Soo and raises her daughter with Wang So after her death. Jo Min-ki portrays Wang Geon, King Taejo, founder of the Goryeo Dynasty. Park Ji-young plays Queen Yoo, mother of Wang Yo, Wang So, and Wang Jung. Jung Kyung-soon is Queen Hwangbo, mother of Wang Wook and Princess Yeon-hwa. Kang Han-na plays Princess Yeon-hwa, Wang Wook's sister and Wang So's future wife. Park Si-eun appears as Lady Hae Myung-hee, Wang Wook's wife. Jin Ki-joo plays Chae-ryung, Hae Soo's servant and friend. Seohyun portrays Woo-hee, a gisaeng and the last Princess of Later Baekje. Ji Hye-ran plays Park Soon-deok, Wang Eun's wife. Kim Sung-kyun appears as Choi Ji-mong.
Production
In June 2015, director Kim Kyu-tae and BaramiBunda Inc. revealed early plans for a Korean adaptation of Tong Hua’s Chinese novel Bu Bu Jing Xin. YG Entertainment and NBC Universal provided funding, with NBC Universal covering half of the 15 billion won budget. Chinese platform Youku purchased the series for 400,000 dollars per episode, at that time the highest price ever paid for a Korean drama. Lee Joon-gi received an offer for the male lead, Wang So, in November 2015, and confirmed his role on January 4, 2016. That same day, singer-actress Lee Ji-eun accepted the female lead. The first script reading occurred four days later. Jewels were crafted by Jung Jae-in of Minhwi Art Jewelry, while Lee Ji-eun personally designed the peony hairpin given to her character by Wang So. Artist Lee Hoo-chang created and oversaw production of more than one hundred masks. Filming ran for five months, starting in February 2016 at the Yoseonjeong pavilion and Yoseon-am rocks in Yeongwol County, Gangwon Province. It wrapped in early July 2016, with Lee Ji-eun finishing her final scene for episode 20 on July 1 and Lee Joon-gi completing his role on June 30 in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province. Additional locations included the Baekje Cultural Center, Naju Image Theme Park, Ondal Tourist Park, Unjusa and Man-yeonsa temples, Saseong-am Hermitage, Wolhwawon garden, Seyeonjeong pavilion, Cheonjuho lake, Miryang lake, Ban-gok lake, Seon-gyojang residence, and the hanok complex of the Nampyeong Moon family.
Release
SBS aired a one-hour preview on August 27, 2016, two days before the series premiere, containing a historical introduction, behind-the-scenes footage, and interviews. A second special episode aired on September 14 for Chuseok, featuring the historical introduction and a summary of the first seven episodes. The 20-episode drama aired from August 29 to November 1, 2016, on Mondays and Tuesdays, with the first two episodes airing back to back. On September 3, SBS aired the first three episodes again in a Director's Cut version following audience observations about the soundtrack and the number of characters.
Reception
Audience reviews after the premiere were mixed. The adaptation, soundtrack, photography, and Lee Joon-gi's acting received praise, while Byun Baek-hyun's performances drew criticism. Lee Ji-eun's performance received mixed reviews, with some critics believing she did a good job despite frequent mood changes, while others felt director Kim Kyu-tae's trademark close-ups revealed a lack of emotion. Kim Yoo-jin of TenAsia noted the drama's brevity compared to the Chinese counterpart and rapid pace were insufficient to introduce each character, while MediaUs suggested the first two episodes established good connections through rapid development but that focusing on power struggles rather than a Goryeo version of Boys Over Flowers might have attracted male viewers. Lee Woong of Yonhap News found the first part too fragile due to the love triangle and conflicts stemming from Queen Yoo's pathological love for Wang Yo. With the 10th episode, the mood shifted as the power struggle began, and characters previously considered flat became three-dimensional; Yonhap News noted that IU shed her comic acting and grasped Hae Soo's emotions, and Wang Wook became a tragic but empathetic figure. Lee Seung-rok of MyDaily observed that after turning to tragedy in the second half, the acting, directing, and writing found stability, contributing to increased ratings.
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